Meal plans and the week ahead

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year, although this year will be much different than most years past since I'll be missing out on some traditions with my family (pig day and pie day) that I'm sad about... but such is life. We'll still get some great, quality time in with our families, which is the important thing. Aside from the traditions for prepping for turkey day, Black Friday is my all-time favorite shopping day... even though I hate the crowds and the lines, I love, love, love the deals! I always go out super early and I'm usually home by breakfast time, so I don't stay out long. I also love Black Friday for our tradition of putting up the Christmas tree and breaking out all the holiday decorations. It really is such a fantastic week with all the traditions, reflections on what you are thankful for, and just getting everyone in such great, happy, joyful moods for the holiday season. I am really looking forward to it all this year, as we build traditions with Carson and get to teach him about all the wonderful meanings behind this time of year.

This week is a busy one, as I'm sure it is for everyone. Today we'll be at my parents' house for a family party to celebrate my grandpa's birthday. Monday is a normal day. Tuesday morning, I'll be taking Carson for his H1N1 shot, so it might be a later afternoon at work to make up some of my lost time if we're busy. Wednesday, I'm hoping to take the afternoon off so that I can do my baking for the following day. Kevin will hopefully be coming home on Wednesday! Assuming he still comes home, his parents will be picking him up from the airport and hopefully he'll make it home before Carson goes to bed. Thursday is turkey day! We're going to my in-laws' for a turkey dinner and then will be heading to Grand Rapids for dessert with Kevin's extended family. Friday, I'll be going out shopping at 4am with my sister to take advantage of the Black Friday sales. Then Kevin, Carson, and I will be putting up our Christmas tree and decorations during the day. We may be heading to Crossroads Village on Friday night, but we're playing it by ear, waiting to see how we all feel and what the weather is like. Saturday is my 10-year high school class reunion that Kevin and I are possibly to go to, but that is also kind of up in the air right now, too. We'll see what the next couple of days bring.

So that's about it, now on to the meals...

Sunday - birthday party... we're having some appetizers; chicken divan; rice; cake; ice cream

Meatless Monday - herbed baked eggs; roasted brussels sprouts; toast with jam; applesauce

Tuesday - hot dogs; mac and cheese; carrots; pearsauce

Wednesday - Kevin is (hopefully) coming home! I'm going to do something easy since I'll be busy baking... chili in the crockpot; homemade bread; polish pigs in the blanket (golabki); steamed green beans from the freezer

Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving!! I'm bringing roasted veggies... red potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots... to my in-laws for dinner. And I'm bringing apple butter pumpkin pie and pumpkin cake bars to GR.

Friday - pork chops with mustard-sauced potatoes in the crockpot; peas; homemade bread; applesauce we decided to order pizza tonight

Saturday - Kevin is craving fast food and pizza... so we'll order pizza from our favorite local place, Rocky's, before (and if) we head to my reunion. shepherd's pie using leftover turkey, corn, roasted veggies, and mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving; applesauce